Doñana is in Danger

The Guardian reports that Doñana, a wetland that is a home to 2,000 species of wildlife, is likely to appear in the Unesco world heritage danger list. It is said to have lost 80% of its natural water supplies due to marsh drainage, intensive agriculture, and water pollution from the mining industry. Now Spain has two options; either to declare Doñana off limits for industrial activity in a report to Unesco or become the first EU country to have a national park classified as being “in danger”.

Eva Hernández, a spokeswoman for WWF, said Doñana’s biodiversity had eroded over the last 40 years. According to her, some things were being done; however, there was some pressure from the side of private and public companies.

Spain has declared the area under Doñana a “strategic gas storage site” and authorized exploration and storage work by Gas Natural Fenosa within the park’s vicinity. Most troubling for conservationists is a plan by the port authority of Seville to dredge the local Guadalquivir River allowing access for cargo and cruise ships in 2018.

Hernández expressed a hope that the Spanish government would finally respond to the international community telling them that as a world heritage site, they have a responsibility to the whole world to protect Doñana.